Plotting vs plodding?

Sometimes I stay up hours past my bedtime reading a book to find out what happens next. Other times, I just stare at the book on my nightstand, hoping it will read itself.

What makes one book a page-turner, and another not so much? It’s a mystery.

Not entirely, though. I zoom through books when I care about the main character, the writing style engages me, and the story is intriguing. That’s where good plotting comes in. I usually plot by the seat of my pants. Outlining stifles my creativity. I dread writing scenes that are mapped out ahead of time. Still, this method requires a lot of rewriting. So I’ve investigated techniques for plotting that don’t require outlines. One method in particular speaks to me–make a list of the heart clutching moments (HCMs) in your story, and then connect the dots.